What the latest Kawhi Leonard investigation news means for Raptors trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kawhi Leonard’s blockbuster trade to the Toronto Raptors has been frozen for weeks due to the NBA’s investigation. Now that the league office has cleared the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto finally has the green light to finalize the deal.
How the Kawhi Leonard investigation put the trade on ice
The investigation was triggered by journalist Pablo Torre, who alleged Kawhi Leonard had signed a $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal with Aspiration, a defunct company backed by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
Commissioner Adam Silver said publicly he wanted it wrapped up before the new season. Both franchises put the trade on hold, with the Raptors confirming the deal would not become official until the investigation closed.
Silver will be happy because the NBA found no evidence that Ballmer used sponsors to secretly pay Leonard. So, the Clippers and their seven-time All-Star walk away clear. The decision backs up the team's long-standing defense that connecting players with business partners is standard league practice, not a shortcut to beat the salary cap.
Where the Raptors trade stands now
With no penalties on the table, the blockbuster trade agreed to in June can finally move forward as planned. Toronto is sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a 2027 pick swap, and two second-rounders to Los Angeles.
Once the paperwork clears, Toronto plans to sign Leonard to a two-year, $123.7 million contract extension on top of the $50.3 million he is owed this season.
If the league had punished the Clippers, the entire trade would have collapsed. Now, the Raptors can finalize the deal without worrying about the NBA stepping in to reverse it later. It clears the path for Leonard to return to the franchise he led to a championship in 2019.
More NBA news:
- Warriors linked to unexpected Klay Thompson reunion to salvage Stephen Curry's window
- ‘You were right’: Mike D’Antoni’s clear message to James Harden years after Rockets era
- Klay Thompson’s ‘only goal’ fuels fresh Mavericks exit talk amid buyout speculation
- Klay Thompson’s future with Mavericks revealed after direct talks with president Masai Ujiri
- Heat’s Klay Thompson patience backfires as key free agent target accepts multi-million rival offer